


Anthem Pre-Release Fic

by MoxieX85



Category: Anthem - Fandom, Video Games - Fandom
Genre: BioWare, Multi, Science Fiction, pre-release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 12:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15195233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoxieX85/pseuds/MoxieX85
Summary: Anthem Game by Bioware, pre-release fanfiction by request





	Anthem Pre-Release Fic

**Author's Note:**

> ROUGH DRAFT. Original post on Tumblr (moxiex85)

___

“Geo, why are we doing this?”

“Because we can’t leave. “

“We’re stranded?”

“For now.”

A recording of human voices discovered on the scene of the most recent Scar ambush on Blackshore.  
\---

“I won. Not you.”

“Said the loser.”

‘Screw you, Griff.”

“Don’t tease me, babyface.” Grinning lasciviously, Griff waggled a bushy eyebrow and grinned. At least three of his top teeth had been replaced with a matted metal shaped like fangs. A stricken silence followed, and across the board Brenner went dead-pan. Achieving the shock factor, Griff gave out a loud guffaw and slapped his leg. “Every time. You’re too easy nerd. Who's next?” As he spoke, he swept something from the edge of the board into his meaty palm and tucked it away in a hidden pocket. 

Vale pushed through the crowd with a few well landed elbows and stopped beside the table.   
Folding her arms over her stomach she peered down over the scrap-born pawns on the hand-carved stone playing board. It was a game of Scars versus humans. Like everyday life. “You cheated.” She flicked her eyes to Griff, pointing out the obvious. 

Griff shrugged, hands resting on his knees as he sat back. “What’s new? That gonna stop you little girl? Want some of this action?” Mischievous dark eyes bore into her with challenge. No doubt he had money, or goods, riding on this little scam. Griff was a specialized Colossus pilot, a tank in his own right. He often bragged that he could take on the Scars without his exosuit. Many people wished he would. In between runs, he plagued the Fort with rigged gambling and bullshit battle stories. 

“Not today.” Vale had already disregarded Griff, glancing around at the group of spectators and a few potential pickpockets before nudging Brenners shoulder with the back of her hand. “Training.” She reminded him, loudly to make sure the vultures knew the game was over. They didn’t actually train, it was just their personal code for ‘time to explore’ and ‘you’re coming with me since they won’t let anyone go alone’. 

Groaning theatrically, Brenner pushed back from his place at the game board and unfolded his lithe frame into a standing position. Gangly and thinly-built, Brenner was an obvious target for all types of no-goods and shady creeps in the Fort. If these jerks could see him wield elementals in the Storm Javelin, well…it wasn’t worth toiling over. Within Fort Tarsis she would protect him so that he could protect their squad and potentially the entire human race in the grand scheme. Or at least that was what she hoped for. She refused to lose anyone else. 

 

___

 

“Are you close to to the Ruins? Grab some brynnium shards. I’m out.”

“Bren, turn off your mental GPS, you stalker! And stop getting sucked into those stupid games with Griff.” Vale hissed through her teeth, the sound barely a muffle beyond the constructive metal barrier of her exosuit. Even so, the burrowing rodents she was studying chittered wildly and scampered away into the underbrush. She cursed.

“Stop going off alone. Readings show lightening located near Longfall Ruins.”

Her only response was a disgusted noise. Silence followed, but she waited anyway until she was sure Brenner had muted the vocal feed between their suits. Holding her breath as the seconds passed, she boiled inwardly over the intrusion. No privacy at all. As the pilot of their squads Ranger Javelin, and as her personal preference, she voluntarily went scouting ahead and alone. That, and she needed some space today. 

They were hardly a squad right now. Mika refused to leave her room back at the barracks. Their fourth person was missing in action. Probably dead.. Recent ambushes on Freelancer squads outside of the Fort were growing increasingly hostile and frequent. Other Freelancers were talking about doubling up on squads or canceling trips out completely for the time being. The phoney mercenaries suddenly vanished in times like this, refusing to take the odds. They were scared. Everyone was forgetting the goal as they grieved losses and injury. Vale was more practical. She used her anger to fight every last Scar, every vile marauder, every Dominion solder, and every foul beast in between in an attempt to discover the secrets lying in the depths of this damnable planet. 

Begrudgingly, she glanced in the direction of the Ruins. There it was. Flashes of light and the dark outline of debris being flung mercilessly by the raging winds that accompanied a Shaper storm. With another throaty noise of revulsion, Vale engaged her exosuit, called a Javelin, and immediately launched into the air as the flight mode initiated. With a quick thrust upwards, she paused to hover and review the landscape. The storm near the falls was torrential and violent in nature, wind swirling and lightning flashing in absolute threat. Performing only a quarter turn, she viewed the calm water of Deadlight Cavern and the quiet beauty of flora and fauna and rocky formations spreading amongst the vast land and ruins beyond it. 

A flash of glinting light below to her left caught her attention and she immediately spun towards it, pulling up her scope to zoom in and preparing her volt rifle.

“Don’t shoot!” 

A Javelin suit burst upwards from the blue waters of the cavern, the metal granite colored and shiny. Hovering just out of her range of her fist, Vale could feel Brenner grinning smugly at her from behind the metal mask. He never could stay muted for long - this time it worked in his favor. Lowering her rifle, she glared through her suits visor.

“Lightning near the Falls” she mocked his earlier comment in her best Brenner voice. “You meant you. Think you’re clever? One of these days I’ll wrap that cape around your face while you sleep.” Annoyed with herself for assuming he’d meant to give a genuine report on the location of the storm, she was now lashing out at him.

She saw the shoulders of Brenners exosuit straighten, the cloth around his shoulders almost completely dry already. “It’s not a cape.” He grumbled before generating a small ball of electricity in an armored palm. “Geo would have laughed.” He continued without thinking. The air between them suddenly became tense and awkward and she knew he regretted saying anything.

Gritting her teeth, she let the pause hang there in a silent, screaming condemnation. “Geo isn’t here.” She snapped finally, not just for his benefit. That was why Brenner followed her. That was why no one should go out alone. It felt like a new blow to the chest each time she was reminded. “Let’s go.” Directing an order at him made her feel better. Not that this was a mission and they certainly weren’t being paid to be here right now. Moving her body without a second thought, her exosuit performed the intuitive actions of flipping over fluidly in the air and taking a thrusting dive into the water. It felt like her suit was taking her back through the cavern on autopilot as she propelled through the water, dodging boulders and fish, and taking the final curve in a dramatic rotation that lifted her from water to air without the slightest change in speed as she exited the cavern. Relinquishing jet action gently, her suit lowered gently to land metal boot against the rocky ledge just beside the water. She allowed her Javelin system a few moments of cooldown before taking on the longer journey back to the base.

“I’m sorry.” Brenner had hung back, and his voice was very quiet but the technology linking them was undistorted and high quality. If you could call it technology. The Anthem powered many things in ways no one could fully explain. She swallowed hard. “Quit blaming yourself.” That was all she could take. Time to block all communication. Having become intricately familiar with the sounds and subtle vibrations of the Javelin, Vale launched back into the air the second the suit was ready again. The flight back to the Fort was made in complete silence, the pair of them jetting over lush and tangled greenery and gliding above a beautiful and deadly landscape. A flock of bird-like creatures tagged along beside them, white and pure from a distance. The reality was that they were predators just like everything else in this strange and terrifying place.

The Fort Tarsis guards watched their return, signaling an all-clear to other Javelin-outfitted guards scattered around the perimeter. A series of great metal doors opened in the side of a cliff and the pair guided their Javelins inside, landing with echoing clanks against the floor. The hiss of hydraulics signaled that the suits were locked into place and opened up from the top. Someone gave Vale a hand up and she bodily lifted herself from the suit and backed out. No matter how many times, it was a shock to the system to resume a purely human existence. Without the armor and gadgets, Vale barely stood out amongst the crowd. Engineers and mechanics scrambled around the suits, shouting codes and clearances to one another. Blinking to regain her eyesight, a dark form appeared in front of her and stuck something in her ear. 

“Damn it, Turner, warn me!” 

“Sorry V. 6 hours though. You were pushing too hard.” A beep emitted somewhere near her head and Turner backed away. Everything was slowly coming into focus. Over Turners shoulder she could see Brenner hunched over sheepishly as a mechanic scolded him for breaching cooldown on the flight back. 

Jeffy’s face pushed directly into her view. “Hey, did you hear me?” Turner snapped his fingers in front of her nose. 

“Stop!” Vale pushed his hand away and squinted against an onslaught of penlight beamed into her eyes. “Just.. tired.” 

“Right. You check out. Sustenance and rest.” Turners gaze was a mixture of concern and scientific interest. Something was being left unsaid and she was glad. No one wanted to ask her questions about what she may have found, or not found, out there anymore. 

“Sure thing, doc.” Vale mumbled, shirking her friends concern, so uncomfortable that she couldn’t make direct eye contact. Turner was a good person, but she wasn’t in the mood. He turned away, familiar with the dismissal, and proceeded to examine Brenner.

Feeling more solid in her own skin with each passing minute free of the suit, Vale turned and strode across the platform and down the walkway without meeting a single glance in her direction. She felt them though, and she knew what they were asking.

What happened to Geo, their best and most beloved pilot, and what did SHE have to do with it?

 

 

\----

 

“Vanders back. He wants to see you. Looks pissed.”

Vale opened her eyes, staring up at gray nothing. Everything was gray in here. The walls, the floors, the bunk frames, even the bedding. Like a tomb before death. 

“I just laid down.”

“Think he gives a shit?”

“Right. You’re right.” Vale turned over and pushed herself off the bed, still disoriented. Pressing a palm to her forehead, her gaze flitted over to her companion. “How’s Mika?”

Brenner looked away and shook his head. “Still not talking.”

Vale sighed, dropping her hand to her side. “Chase?” It hurt to even ask, but she couldn’t resist. Chase was a genius mechanic, absolutely vital to the Freelancers.

Brenners’ eyes returned to meet her gaze and he shrugged awkwardly. “Still in lock up. They have him sedated. He...still blames you.” It was uncomfortable to say out loud, and she already knew this anyway. 

Vales’ well sculpted poker face hid her disappointment. Chase had been her Brenner before everything went to shit. Her closest buddy. He was the one that suggested she team up with Geo in the first place. Of course he blamed her. She lost the thing that was most precious to him and couldn’t give him even the slightest explanation. She hated herself on his behalf.

“Thanks, Bren.” Her tone was softened due to a mixture of exhaustion and gloom. “For everything.” Now it was awkward. Turning away, she snatched up a weather-beaten jacket and threw it on. “Wish me luck.” She added, pushing past Brenners lanky form as she escaped. He towered over her, but his aura was gentle. It was unusual to come across in this place, especially now. One of the genuine good guys. It was disconcerting. Her stride lengthened and quickened in response, thoughts wandering to what sort of things would harden a guy like that. He just lost his brother, his longest companion, and yet here he was - not completely hating her guts. 

Forget it for now, girl. Time to face the consequences. She thought to herself, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets and dodging people as she strode through the hub with purpose towards the main complex.

 

\------

TWO WEEKS PRIOR

“Oh good, you’re still alive. We were starting to wonder.”

The taunt came from the doorway in an easy-going lilt. Brenner was too focused on his project to even respond. He’d discovered an unusual rock that seemed to actually consume and contain electrical energy on their last trip beyond the walls. Now he sat hunched over on a stool before a table covered in different types of rocks, testing for conductivity and unusual reactions with a battery, wires, and various instruments he had “borrowed” from engineering. 

“Busy.” Brenner mumbled, holding a metal rod between his teeth. If only humans had evolved to have extra hands. 

Leaning into the doorway with one hand on the frame, Geos eyes moved around the small room full of shelves that were covered in parts, crafting materials, and various projects all in different stages of development. Brenners room was on the lowest level beneath the Hub in Fort Tarsis. The walls were rock and seemed to go from damp to near crumbling in an unintelligible cycle. The light (something Brenner rigged up) was very faint and yellow here, giving everything an eerie cast. Breathing in, as if gathering the resolve to even enter the dank room, Geo gave a resorted sigh and entered - giving the door one last push to make sure it stayed open. His boots scuffed against the floor, scattering tiny pebbles, as he diverted away from his brother to check the ‘food shelf’. 

He shuffled through the mostly empty packages and one can, setting it down with a thunk. “This is it? What are you eating? The rocks?” Geo used his playful tone but had genuine concern. It was his job to make sure the guy didn’t die down here from overexertion of the brain. He turned halfway, eyes boring into Brenners back. 

“V brings me stuff.” Brenner, again mumbling, did not look away from his experiment. He didn’t even move. 

Geo raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected. What the hell was he supposed to do with this guy? Leave him here? Lifting a hand he scratched the back of his neck, buying time to figure out what to do. What to do. 

“We’re going out later. Night venture. You in?” Geo pressed a palm against the wall, leaning there nonchalantly. The slightest bit of concern or over-protectiveness would scare Brenner into a deeper hole, metaphorically speaking. 

Jackpot. Brenner dropped his hands and sat up straight. He seemed to be thinking for the briefest second before turning his head to look at his brother. “I’m in. Need some things.” There was a pause. Brenners gaze was now on the wall that Geo was using to prop himself up. “There you are Chauncey.” He said calmly, as if talking to a small, naughty child. 

Geos eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Turning his head he followed his brothers gaze. Directly above his hand, on the wall, was a fluffy black ball. Geo blinked. The ball blinked. Geo yelped and yanked his hand away from the wall as if he’d been burnt, cradling it with his other hand in horror.

Brenner gave a snort of bemusement.

Geo focused his eyes on the ball, trying to determine what the hell he was looking at. Growing agitated, he yanked grabbed the caged light hanging from a thick wire just overhead and pulled it closer to the wall. The creature came into focus quickly then. Easily larger than his fist, a fuzzy black spider was staring back at him with glossy black eyes. Geos feet shuffled back, involuntarily. “This is your pet?” He spoke through his teeth, afraid to provoke the thing. 

“Nah, just a neighbor. He pops in when he feels like it.” Brenners tone was light, as if they were talking about something that did not resemble a nightmare. 

“I’ll…. check on you later.” Geo released his grip on the light and backed out of the room, keeping a wary eye on the wall. Back in the hallway, he shut the door and pushed against it with both hands, just to be sure. Shaking his head in disbelief, he walked back the hallway to the makeshift ladder. It took everything he had not to check over his shoulder as he went. He was pretty sure he heard Brenner chuckle and begin a quiet, one-sided conversation back there. 

\--

When night fell, the shanty structure of the Hub fell into an eerie abandonment. Residents and merchants did not linger. Just the occasional greased up creep looking for a laugh and an open pocket. The time of day did not need to be announced - it introduced itself by the gradient fade of light in the sky above. The brightness began to fade from one end to the other. As it crept up from one end of the horizon, merchants waved away customers and turned their backs to begin the daily shuffle of goods back into storage crates. Guards began to walk the perimeter physically as this was considered one of the most vulnerable times of day in the Fort. Shadows lied on this planet. Creatures shifted restlessly just beyond the walls. The jungle noises grew in pitch just as the last rays of brightness sank away.

The only activity was at the hangar, where around a dozen mechanics, engineers, and other essential personnel worked to prepare a group of four Javelin suits for an evening launch. The pilots huddled in one corner, reviewing the most recently updated map of the area on a wall screen. 

“Here.” Geo stood in the midst of them, pointing a finger at the area of interest. “That’s where we saw those tracks. Gotta be leading into that chasm.” He had a habit of thinking out loud for the benefit of everyone else. “Dominion Javelins reported by three different patrols in the last 24 hours. This could be it.”

Vale stepped forward, double tapping the map to zoom in. “Active geyser activity. Are you sure? Didn’t Vander say this place was off limits until the Strider upgrades are completed?” She turned her eyes on Geo, referring to the Forts mobile bases that traversed on long mechanical legs. They were used for long distance exploration as well as the more long term missions. After the last couple enemy raids, they were badly in need of armor repairs and the last storm fried the instruments which were now being recalibrated and nowhere near ready. 

Geo awarded her with a half-grin. “Special permission.” He shrugged like it was no big deal, and then threw in a wink to be purposely spiteful. 

Lip turning up in a reflexive sneer, Vale began to step closer when a violent explosion burst throughout the hangar and knocked them all to the floor.

The shockwave blasted open the hangar doors, an accompanying roar tearing through and escaping into the open void beyond. Flames began blazing up the along edges of the loading platform. Someone was screaming and several others were either yelling directions or begging for help. 

Vale came to awareness with her cheek flat against the floor and nerves that felt like they were on fire. With limbs that weighed a ton she pushed herself up on her knees, fighting nauseas from a raging headache. Every time she tried to open her eyes it was a new stabbing agony. The floor suddenly disappeared out from under her for the briefest moment before she felt her feet pressed against the floor. Pressing her hands to her head, she tried to listen to one thing and everything all at the same time. 

“Gotta get out …. help me ... .. you guys over here …” 

She recognized Geos’ voice in the wavering chaos but the meaning of the words was lost on her. Hands were helping her forward across the platform, her feet barely able to navigate the floor. “Get in! It’s the only way we can get out!” Mechanically, she reached out and felt the cool metal against her palms. She knew instinctively what to do, climbing into the Javelin and preparing for departure without conscious thought.The suit closed up around her and suddenly she felt better. Strangely safe and functional.

Geos voice was in her ear again, this time the voice coming from inside her mind. Geo had never been trained as a Cypher, but somehow he was performing like one. “Your turn V! Go now!” 

“What about the others?” She questioned him fiercely, even though the pain in her head was threatening to destroy her ability to even think.

“I’ve got them. GO!” Geo yelled, the insistence pressuring her beyond instinct.

There was no hesitation. The hydraulics holding her Javelin were already released, perhaps damaged by the blast, so she walked straight to the open maw of the hangar. To Vale, there was no truer picture in this moment than the gorgeous jungle framed by clouds of dark smoke and ash. Taking in a breath, she initiated her jets and leapt into the air. 

-  
Realizing too late that no rally point was indicated, Vale decided to head straight to the location on the map. All fours Javelins were pre-set with the GPS coordinates already. All she had to do was focus and not fly into any flying creatures, ruins, or jutting rock formations. This was only her second time out in an exosuit at night, and her mind was reeling from what just happened. Vigilance was hard to come by under the circumstances. Veering off course slightly to go around an array of crumbling stone ruins (once a bridge maybe?) and stopped almost dead in the air as a voice finally breached the quiet. 

“H-hello?”

Vale didn’t recognize it right away. She considered not answering. Curiosity won out as she hit her thrusters again in a hurry to get to her targeted location, veering back on course one the ruins disappeared behind her.

“Hello. Are you all right? What is your name?” Vale relied on her monotone, calm robot voice, the one that took over when she became over-anxious, overwhelmed, or over-stressed. 

“Mike. M-my name is Mika.” The voice was high pitched and definitely more feminine than most. This was no Freelancer that Vale knew of. One more push to the jets; she was almost there. 

“Are you alright, Mika? Where are you?” 

“I don’t know.” The voice went even higher and pitch and cracked at the end. Vale realized she was probably crying. This was not something she was equipped to handle. Where the hell was Geo? Pressing against a flip panel on her forearm, she tried to engage the GPS locators on any nearby Javelins. The display wavered and went dark. Vale cursed and slammed the flap closed. Some of the tech systems that enabled shared information back at the hangar must have been fried. 

Ahead of her, off to the right, a geyser groaned and then hissed noxious steam. This was definitely the place. Getting her bearings, she decreased speed and chose an area within walking distance of the large chasm in order to scope out the place for any other living creatures. 

\--

“  
“What the fuck happened? I need your version. No bullshit.” The deep voice sounded weary, like he honestly didn’t want to know but the obligation was his burden to bear.

Vander was leaning over the large meeting table in the middle of his office, palms against a hand-drawn map of the area. His shoulders bulged with the tension of his position and the most recent run of shit luck. Things were always going wrong here, but this was new level. 

The metal door closed just behind Vale and gave an unsettling mechanic click. Two of Vanders usual guards hung out in the far corners of the room but they didn’t make eye contact with her and didn’t seem to be armed at the moment. That was something at least.

“It was a setup.” She stated it simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Probably not a good idea to rub that in too much at the moment though. 

“Which part?” Vander snapped, hands curling into fists on the table. “ The explosion? The dozen people grievously injured? Our lead mechanic locked away? The damage to the primary hangar? That Dominian girl? My best pilot gone?”

He spat the last question, pushing away from the table with renewed vigor. Pivoting on his heel he turned his heavy gaze on her, the furrowed brows and set of his jaw demanding all her secrets. 

Vale held her position but her stomach turned over in anguish. Her tongue was practically tripping over itself to explain, “All of it. Some of it. I’m not sure.” This was making her head hurt all over again. She pressed her eyes closed together hard for a brief second to gather her thoughts before meeting his gaze. “ ... Mika is an anomaly. Her location was too convenient. No one else seemed to hear her. It was a targeted communication. I was meant to find her. Someone abandoned her at that particular site.” Vale was still trying to make sense of it herself, her eyes drifting across the room as she remembered.

“I wasted hours on her already. She doesn’t remember anything useful.” Vander growled, throwing up a frustrated hand, dismissing that avenue of conspiracy for the time being.

Vale sighed and gave up, starting at the beginning.

\---

==Near the northern boundary beyond Fort Tarsis, just after the hangar explosion==

A dense yellow fog hugged close to the ground and snaked through the jungle plants. Advanced pneumatics within her Javelin adjusted to protect her. The geysers in the area were obviously releasing noxious gases. In the night, small bluish fungi growths bloomed bright and glowing and provided some visibility. 

Maneuvering a several hundred pound suit on the ground took concentration and her brain was still screaming inside her skull. Stealth was not going to be a thing right now. After a few staggering steps she reached out and leaned an armored hand against a tree, reestablishing her telepathic connection.

“Geo? Are you there? Anyone? Requesting Code 11.” Vales mind thrummed with each spoken word. Code 11 was the request that each active Freelancer pilot reveal their current and accurate location. 

“Vale! Don’t move. I’m coming to you.” 

Releasing a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, Vale felt relieved to hear Geo. She could wait. The initiative would have been to rescue the others and neutralize the threat. Only then would he have been able to… 

But the locators were fried. How did he .. ?

“Enemy on site! Do not engage! Retreat! ..” A crashing sound to the north of her location made her jerk so hard she smacked her head against the helmet of her suit. Shots were being fired and she could barely make out the familiar sounds of Scars shrieking to one another. 

Ignoring the retreat, Vale turned and prepared to launch into the air. Instead her Javelin hit something huge and hard and for a moment her entire head rang with the impact. 

“I’m sorry!” It was that child-like voice, much sharper and clearer. “My controls are backwards. I’m so confused.” Breathless, it must be Mike inside this giant metal suit. It resembled the Colossus, but it was Dominian armor and insignia. 

“What the---? Just stay here. I’ll be back!” Vale launched her rockets again, but once again found her suit slammed back into place on the ground. The Dominian suit had reached out a large claw to hold her Ranger down by the shoulder - even with thrusters lit. 

“I didn’t do that!” Mika was crying again. 

Vale growled inside her suit. “Get out of my way!” She snarled, preparing to unleash her missiles if necessary, her eyes flashing dangerously within the visor of the Javelin. 

The anticipation of waiting nearly stopped her heart. Finally Geo spoke, sounding resolute, “Retreat! Engaging fail-safe!”

“NO!” Vale screamed, throwing herself sideways to get away from Mika and rush forward. It was at that moment something flashed and a great booming echoed from the north, wind rushing through the jungle and blowing past them violently. A massive fire burst upwards in a column, lighting the entire area up briefly. 

Later, Brennan told her that she had blacked out - maybe from stress or exhaustion. He said Mika had picked her up and taken her to place to hide low until another group of Freelancers came to look for their missing comrades. They arrested Mika immediately (she put up no fight) and Vale was taken to the infirmary. Squads were sent to the north for several days afterward but nothing was recovered at the sight of the massive explosion. Chase was mad with grief when she returned, and soon made at attempt on her life while she was lying in quarantine. Turner convinced the guards to hand him over to the medical officers for treatment during lock down. 

\----

Night fell long before Vale left Vanders office, feeling emotionally and physically wrecked. Vander seemed to think the ostracism and shunning that she was already suffering were enough punishment for now. That and he would definitely be pressing her into service helping with the green trainees. At this point she was too tired to even think about how much that was going to suck. 

On the plus, the Hub was good and empty and she wouldn’t have to suffer any glares as she returned to the lower barracks. A little peace wasn’t a lot to ask for. 

Or perhaps it was. 

Thudding footfalls fell into place behind her, slow and steady. Vale let her tagalong follow a few paces before sighing loudly and coming to a halt. “Whatever it is, Griff, I’m sure the answer is no.” She spoke to him casually over her shoulder, really not wanting to waste any time on this.

“Aw, c’mon girlie.” Griffs tone was forever playful. He took the liberty of striding around her and pivoting to face her - blocking her path. The light of the two moons and a few scattered cage lights were just enough to illuminate the cocky grin he was presenting to her. “Just a real quick proposal. Hear me out.”

Vale glared up at him, contemplating all the different ways she could hurt him as opposed to getting into a verbal argument with him. 

“Great. Y’see, I want to help you.”   
“Help me?” Vale was already defensive, and now she was beginning to feel the rage. “What makes you think I need help?” 

Griff was hiding something behind those heavy lidded eyes. The malice was definitely there. “You wanna find Geo, don’tcha? Well, I hear you don’t have enough squad members to go out beyond the first boundary. Thought I’d offer my humble services.” He gestured with open arms and unusually open and empty palms. 

Vales’ eyes narrowed. “What do you want, Griff?”

Griff pressed a hand to his chest in mock pain. “How cruel girlie. I want what's best for the mission. For humankind.” He was straightening up and preparing to give the Freelancers’ oath. Vale rolled her eyes and cut him off quickly, “Cut the shit. What’s in it for you?”

She could hardly believe herself. While it was true she couldn’t go into the more dangerous locations without the minimum of four people, inviting this shark along was complete madness. 

Griff shrugged, his face finally falling into its usual mixture of ‘come at me’ and ‘your mama’. “There’s a mine on the Northern border. We found it just before Vander put up the restrictions. I’d like a chance at it again.” 

Vale watched him for a minute, deciding. Stepping up so they were toe to toe, she spoke quietly. “Fine. But watch your ass, Griff. No one would miss you if you stepped on a geyser and got blasted off the planet.” 

Griff met her gaze and nodded once before taking a few steps back and gesturing for her to pass.

Vales fists were balled up at her sides, and she walked around him quickly feeling the echo of another threat in the air and knowing that she, too, would have to watch herself.   
\--

The medical wing was a part of the main complex just north of the Hub. It was one long hallway with a dozen doors down each side, gray and gloomy . Each door had a 4x4 inch window beyond which the medical team and scientists were all doing whatever it was they did. Vale preferred to keep her eyes to her self, counting as she strode down the echoing corridor. “Seven, eight, nine…” Here she stopped, pausing to evaluate her decision. Fingers brushed against the panel beside the door and began to pull away doubtfully when there was a click and the door swooshed open. 

“You aren’t usually startled so easily.” Turner commented, lips lifted in a half smirk as he took in her expression. Her eyes were easily twice as large as usual and her mouth hung open slightly.

Vale managed to unfreeze herself and blinked, looking away and giving her head a shake to recover. “Uh….yeah. Well, I thought visiting hours were over.” She glanced at him accusingly, disregarding her own presence outside of those hours, before trying to peer over his shoulder into the room. 

“She can come in.” A musical lilt emerged from the far corner where Mika sat up on her bed, legs crossed and hands folded in her lap. She looked alert and healthy. It was a significant difference from the ash-faced, neurotic girl they had pulled from the imposter Colossus suit. Although she possessed a small frame and a young face, the medical staff were able to determine that she was a full grown woman and she remembered at least two years of pilot training with the Dominian. It brought up a lot of ethical questions about the breeding tactics and training requirements within their enemies faction. 

Turner hesitated but against his better judgement and taking into account the defiant glance Vale threw his way as she prepared to elbow him aside, he uttered a small sigh and stepped to one side, gesturing for Vale to enter. 

Vale stepped into the small room, which immediately felt overcrowded. There weren’t a lot of options, so she took a seat on the edge of the bed and managed a warm smile for Mika. “I heard you were feeling better. Think you would like a tour of the Fort tomorrow?”

In her peripheral vision Turner jerked as he prepared to argue, but he managed to control himself. Vale could feel his eyes boring a hole into the flesh of her back. He would not be leaving them alone. 

Mika perked up immediately, a child-like smile blooming across her face. “Yes! Anything to get out of this room.” Her eyes wandered to Turner as if she was asking for permission. “Is that okay?” 

Vale swore that Mika just batted her eyelashes, or something akin to it. 

Turner cleared his throat and Vale knew he was fiddling with his glasses now, trying to think of a way to turn down the idea. It was a short pause though, for something about Mika was deeply endearing and impossible to deny. “A short tour.” He finally agreed. Vale turned her head to meet his eyes. A conversation passed wordlessly there. Mika was a liability. Don’t do anything stupid. 

Vale nodded her agreement, relieved Turner couldn’t read her mind. He’d kick her out right now if he knew her real plans for this Dominian girl.

\--  
Every day away from outer boundary was another day wasted. Vale read the daily squad reports, which were posted publicly (for the most part) each evening on a console in the Hub. Some information was redacted but a clever person could discern the missing content without too much trouble. Several brave souls had attempted recovery operations at the geyser field. So far the statistics were not in their favor. Three dead. Fourteen wounded. 

Whatever happened to Geo was a planned event and it nagged at her. Something in it was foul. It was eating at her. Haunting her sleep. Driving her training as she both taught and learned from Mika. It was vehemently important that pilots train and condition their bodies outside of the their exoskeletons. Vale had been knocked down a few times by a swift leg-sweep or unexpected shoulder flip. Mika was small but quick and agile and so strong that Vale developed suspicions and more questions than she knew what to do with.

It took another full week of schmoozing up to Turner and Vander to get the permission she needed. Her squad, even with Griff, was only three and they still could not pursue the sight of Geos’ disappearance. Griff suggested they go anyway but Vale had respect for the rules and unlike Griff, she knew the danger.

“Anything goes to shit, it’s on you.” Vander had told her, his face looking grave. 

Turner, on the other hand, was furious. “You are setting yourself up! Don’t you see how stupid this is?” Still, Vale persisted for days until Turner threw his hands up, growled a “Fine.” and walked away from her. 

It was not an easy thing. Vale was bearing a heavy weight and out of pride refused to let it crush her. All this reflecting was not helping. Now she stood on the guard path, looking out beyond the south wall, watching as the landscape shifted and shaped itself anew in the fading light. A curtain of rain fell somewhere off to the left. An unknown animal shrieked like death. 

There was no more time. No more preparation could be done. She would take her squad away from safety and straight into dangerous Dominian territory in the north. 

 

\--

Vale was a restless sleeper in general. It was known. She often ignored her assigned cot in the barracks, using one of the abandoned shacks in the Hub to rest. She preferred it because she could come and go as she pleased. She also preferred it so that no one could find her when she wanted to be alone. 

Somehow, this night, she didn’t hear the ringing of an alarm. An in-house evacuation was well underway before she was roused by someone shaking her shoulders and pulling open her lids. 

“Vale! Wake up!” Someone snapped above her head and then checked the pulse at her neck. 

“What’s wrong with her?” Mika was somewhere nearby. Vale felt a cool hand gently pressing the side of her face. 

“I don’t know.” Vale finally recognized that Turner was hovering near. She felt so heavy. It took all her effort to finally open her eyes. 

“Good! C’mon! We have to move to the southern complex.” Turner was talking and maneuvering at the same time, working his arm under Vales back and lifting her into a sitting position. “Can you walk?”

Vale stared dazedly, blinking as she tried to come back to herself. “What?”

Turner pressed her eyelids open again, flashing a pen light in her eyes. “High as two moons.” He glanced at the curtain of the shack, flicking the light off and tucking it into a pocket of his vest. Beyond the ragged length of fabric the sounds of chaos and shuffling feet rang clear. The guards were yelling orders. 

They had to move. Turner lowered himself to a knee to look Vale in the eye and try to hold her gaze. “Something happened. I need to get you somewhere safe. Can you try to walk?” He was an academic after all, not a weightlifter. 

Vale was slow to respond, but she nodded meekly and held on to his forearms as he helped lift her upright, both finally standing. “Mika, come and take her other arm. It’ll be faster if we guide her.” 

There was no sound but Mika was suddenly next to Vale, holding her arm close. 

Just as they moved forward together, the curtain was yanked away and Griff was popping halfway in. “Hey, is this party over? Time to go.” He gestured with his head, eyes rarely more serious. He had a rifle in hand. It was imposing, this unusually large man...suddenly looking alert and ready to pounce the shadows. 

Vale had a thousand questions, but her limbs were heavy and her mind was wandering. As hard as she tried to force her eyelids open, then took on a mind of their own. Soon the world became dark again and she felt as though the world was flipping upside down.   
\--

It was the sound of arguing that woke her this time. Pressing a palm against her forehead she sat up, slowly, groaning with the effort. Her head had been through more than enough this month. It screamed at her in protest, causing her to grit her teeth and suck in a hissing breath. 

Shuffling nearby, and she was against assaulted by that damnable pen light. 

Flinging out an arm, Vale shoved Turner away from her. “ENOUGH!”

“She’s fine.” Brenner, apparently near to her right, piped in matter-of-factly. 

Turner only grunted and took a step back. “I missed that cheerful countenance.” He muttered sarcastically, handing Vale a cup. “Drink. You need hydration to help remove whatever is in your system.”

Vale took the cup, ignoring the various stares she felt in her direction.  
Her new squad were assembled. Her only friends, perhaps. Well, Griff didn’t count. He was hovering in a corner of the room. There were several other people. Feeling dazed, she looked around her, eyes settling on Brenner. He would tell her everything. He didn’t have a lying bone in his body. 

“What.. happened?” Her voice came out in a choke and she grimaced. Turner nudged the cup back towards her mouth. 

“Drink.” He ordered, watching her. The entire room, a bunker, was tense was Turner was unusually wound up and the expression on his face was indistinguishable. 

Brenner looked at his feet, gathering his thoughts first. “Another explosion. Main complex.”

Vale stared hard at him, seeing the strain in his face. 

Brenner was uncomfortable under her gaze but managed well enough. “Officers quarters.” He mumbled audibly. 

The pause was very long. Very deep. 

Everyone handles grief differently. Some hang their heads in mourning. Some cry. Some sit and stare into the nothing. Some are numb to loss and others become physically ill. 

Vale only had two switches. 

With a jet-like movement Vale snatched Turners’ vest and yanked him close. “Vander?” Her eyes burned into his. Rage was visibly creeping up into her face. 

Turner had been akin to Vales’ aggression before, being the medical officer assigned to her since day one. It took every bit of patience he possessed, and it was obvious that today he had nothing left. He grabbed her wrist with his own and snatched her hand free of his vest, leaning in equally close, lenses of his glasses flashing with near menace. “Dead. Nothing you can do about. Sit still and shut the fuck up.” He hissed, and the with one finger indicated the mass number of people around them who were freaked out and panicking and didn’t need to know the details just yet. 

Seething, Vale glared at Turner but her breathing was becoming erratic. Too fast. Too shallow. Her vision wavered. The darkness came again. All that was left was the voices in the background. Turner giving instructions. Mika worrying out loud. Griff giving a snort of derision that sounded like an audible eye roll. Brenner was explaining something to Turner. Why were they talking about his stupid little projects now? Before she found out, everything fell away.   
\--

When her eyes opened, the light was blinding and she shut them again. 

“Morning, sunshine.” Turner said from somewhere above her. Sarcastic bastard. The light moved across her eyelids and she realized it was his pen again. She resisted the urge to elbow him in the gut. Save it for later. 

The light vanished and footsteps indicated that he was moving away. She opened her eyes and waited until her vision cleared. The gray was everywhere. The room was familiar. She pushing herself onto one elbow slowly to make sure her faculties were restored. Turner had his back to her - probably making notes. 

“Update?” She said simply, not sure if her voice was restored. It was fine. She felt perfect. It was weird. 

Turner took his sweet time. He always did that. She hated him for it. 

Finally he turned around, leaning back against his desk and folding his arms across his chest. “Big boom. It was a contained explosive - definitely targeted. 4 dead. 11 injured but non-critical. That was a week ago.” 

Vale jerked reactively and sat up.”I’ve been laying here for a week?”

Turner shrugged slightly. “You were a separate case entirely. I think someone tried to poison you.” He raised his eyebrows. “Having trouble making friends, are we?”

“Fuck off.” Vale pushed herself off the cot and tested her legs. Steady. She was going to just leave but Turner had info she wanted. “... why were you grilling Brenner?”

Turner shook his head. “I was just checking. His office is directly beneath the Officers quarters and you know how he likes to play with undetermined substances…” He let the sentence trail off.   
Vale grunted. She understood. “So… it wasn’t him.” Good, she thought. 

Turner said nothing. He was skeptical person and probably needed one hundred percent proof to determine anyone innocent of anything. She didn’t care. 

Somewhere in her unconscious sleep she had decided this entire mess had everything to do with Geo’s incident. 

“I’m taking the squad out to the Northern boundary.” She didn’t know why she was telling him. 

“We have no one to grant you access.” He commented. 

“Fuck access!” She snapped, daring him to continue with bullshit protocol. “I’m going.” She started towards the door.

“You’ll want these.” He said, and there was a definite rare smirk in his voice.

Stopping, Vale glanced sideways at him. 

Oh. 

Looking down at herself she recognized the gray medical gown. With a frustrated groan she put her hand out, refusing to move another inch. Turner obliged, stepping forward to put her clothing in her hand. 

She eyed him warily. 

The smirk exploded onto his lips and he turned his back and returned to his desk and his notes. 

Glaring at his back the entire time, Vale changed quickly and clumsily. If he so much as moved she would snap his neck, she swore it to herself. 

Throwing the gown dramatically aside, Vale yanked the door open and walked out determinedly - face red with embarrassment. 

\--

 

“I’m not leaving until you explain why you’re bringing Mika. You’ve been glued to her since you found her. It’s bizarre. She’s the enemy.”

Brenners office caved in after the explosion and most of his projects were lost. When Vale finally found him he was in the Hub at a makeshift counter where they sold all manner of things. He was preparing to drink away his heartache when she walked up and told him to get ready to go on a mission. He was being obstinate for possibly the first time in his life. 

Vale lifted herself up into the stool beside him, leaning on her elbow closer to him. “You are right.” She said it softly, not trying to announce to the world. “She IS the enemy. But I promise I have a reason. I just can’t tell you right now.” She was now whispering and looking him in the eye intently. 

Brenner stared like he was trying to garner the truth from her soul. Finally he sighed and pushed his drink away. “This better be good Vale.” He was nearing a breaking point and it sounded in his voice. 

Vale considered it. She needed her team at their best. It went against her true nature but she flashed him a smile. “Thank you.” Landing a quick kiss on his cheek, she slid out of the stool and strode away quickly. She was distressfully uncomfortable but it seemed necessary. Anything to put a little bounce in his step. He would need it. 

\--

Looking for Griff was never hard. You went straight to the dankest and most sinister area of the Fort. He was either there scamming the lowly or passing his time with women of ill repute. The nature of a human remains basic and unevolved, even amongst the growth of technology and the exploration of worlds, Vale thought, philosophically. It was her first venture in to Bower Town, a small section of the Fort where the less fortunate live and thrive on their wits. 

“Oh lookit, a lady Freelancer..” A sultry voice purred in her ear, causing her to jump reactively and back away. Coming here alone was not her best idea. Her profession did not protect her in this place and amongst these people. 

All she saw was a shapely finger lingering in the shadows. There was a chuckle and a wave. There was very little electric lighting here which only added to the creepy factor. 

A large hand fell on her shoulder and Vale swung around, ready to fight. 

It was Griff. 

She considered hitting him anyway. He saw that in her face and grinned, metallic teeth flashing in the dim. “Don’t try it girlie.” He spun her around and pushed her forward, back the way she came. “You aren’t welcome here, ya know.” He announced over her head. She didn’t like having him behind her. She could feel his eyes traveling and it added heat to her face. “Good to see you aren’t dead. Such a waste. What’dya need?” He asked her once they passed through a pair of ratty curtains back into the common area of the Hub, the marketplace. The illumination compared to that of of the Bower was stunning. 

Vale turned and lifted her chin. “We’re leaving a couple hours. Heading North. You in?” 

“It’s about fucking time.”

“You seen Mika?”

Griff rolled his eyes and pointed over her head. Vale turned to look. Well, duh. Mika and her group were visible over by the wreckage of the main complex, singing some sort of song and holding hands. 

Vales’ eyebrows furrowed. 

Griff snorted. 

Vale sighed. She did not begrudge Mika her prayers. It was just new to the Fort and it was her easy influence over other Fort residents that was making Vale anxious. “Two hours.” She repeated, heading towards the congregation without another word. 

 

\--

 

Checking in with Mika had been an adventure. The girl was so excited to see Vale on her feet that she nearly crushed her in a hug. Apparently Mika and her friends had been singing on her behalf and it was a blessing that she was well again. Vale was patient, more patient than she ever was in her life. Vale told her to be ready and escaped with an excuse...she didn’t even know what she said now. She simply strode away double time, focusing on her next mission. 

There were more important things to attend. 

“Let me make sure I understand you….” Haluk was leaning against the doorframe, eyeing Vale like she was absolutely insane. She might be. Who knew. “You want me to override any existing procedure and policy and just let you take my Strider into the Northern boundary.”

“I know the upgrades are complete.”

“That may be the case --”

“And you of all people know how important it is to make advancements in our endeavors.”

“Right, but --”

“Vander is gone.” Vale lowered her tone. “We have no lead. We are sitting here like live bait. YOU know what happens when defenses are down.” She said pointedly. 

Haluk frowned deeply but said nothing for a moment, spinning his cane around in his hand as a nervous habit. 

“I’m going.” He stated, turning away from her. “You idiots can’t do it alone.” 

Vale suppressed her smile. “Glad to have you.” She added just before hurrying down the hallway. There was very little time left to prepare. 

\--

The snow was haphazard and soft. Completely uncalled for. 

The Strider lurched steadily through the blizzard, one mechanical arm slamming into the ground at a time as it moved. Anything beneath those massive metal feet was immediately obliterated. Haluk purposely veered to one side to startle a group of roosting flying creatures with long beaks and massive scaly wings. They snapped at the Strider and shrieked but ultimately flew away. Haluk laughed joyfully at the controls, slapping levers and buttons like it was nothing. Everyone else looked at each other and hung on for dear life. 

The journey to the Northern boundary was not some simple morning jog. The terrain was rocky and unstable. The creatures were out and hungry. The weather was voracious and angry. Frost clung to the silver metal of the Strider and crusted along the outer edges of the front facing windows. “Glad I’m not you guys!” Haluk called over his shoulder, grinning to himself.

Vale glanced among the others. Turner lingered in a corner, looking slightly ill and clammy. He made eye contact with no one, staring at the floor. Motion sickness? Vale smirked, finding it to be divine retribution. 

Griff was humming some obnoxious tune and giving the girls the up and down look, waggling his eyebrows when they caught him. Mika threw him a dirty look and he gestured at her. It was lewd enough that she became pink and stared out the window with determination. 

Brenner casually swiped his finger across one of the screens, reading the most up to date stats on the area as they went. It was severely outdated. The prior entries were made by Vander himself. Vale moved away, not wanting the reminder. 

When Haluk announced they were close and soon to anchor, Vale walked to the back and looked over the suits. Owen and Faye chattered in the background. Everything was prepared. Owen took his place in front of a massive control panel and began to link all the suits for tracking as well as testing telepathic connections with his own voice. He would be providing them information remotely. Faye was along for the ride, and went to stand next to Haluk for the final descent on the Northern Boundary.

“Stop just to the east of the location I showed you Haluk.” Vale called out to him, moving to make some adjustments to her exosuit. It was a hand-me-down and required constant care and upgrades. 

The Strider lurched to a halt with gears stopping dead and hydraulics hissing. 

The others came forward to join Vale, standing in front of their suits and looking to her for guidance. 

She glanced back, making marked eye contact with Haluk and Owen specifically. “You know what to do.” She said forcefully, daring them to argue. 

Previously to the trip she had warned them where they were going and what could happen. If she gave them the word, they were to retreat immediately.

Haluk just nodded. Owen looked back to his screen. “Ready when you are squad. Drop zone completely clear.”

Vale glanced at her squad in turn. “Alright. Let’s do this.” 

\----

 

It was an awkward image. Four Javelins standing side by side staring into the jungle wilds. The snow did not extend beyond the point where they stood and flakes gathered on their helmets and shoulders. 

Griff grew annoyed. “What the hell, girlie? Why are we standing here?” His Colossus Javelin overshadowed them all, dark gray in color and devoid of any detailing. His voice was even deeper and more menacing this way. Vale knew he was itching to visit that cavern nearby and pick up whatever the hell he was looking for. 

“Owen, are we clear?” Vale asked, taking a thudding step forward. 

“All clear.”

Vale took another step forward and suddenly froze like she was being held down. This was it. This was the spot.

“Mika, I need you to come here.” Vale called, gesturing with an arm to Mika.

Mika was small and fast but for the sake of the mission Vale had put her back into the black Dominion Colossus suit that she first showed up with. Several mechanics had gone over the suit back at the Fort, discovering the minor differences. It was a basic machine, not at all special, but it was massive. The only thing they’d ever seen that could possibly overpower Griffs exosuit. After Mika complained about the controls, they tweaked them for her sake at Vales request. 

The black suit thudded forward, lingering over Vale’s green Ranger. 

“Step forward, just in front of me.” Vale instructed. 

Mika did as she was told, although it was painfully slow. She passed right by Vale and turned around. “What are we doing?”

Owens voice sprang up. “You found a way through a forcefield. It doesn’t show up on my scans. How did you ..?” He was obviously baffled. 

Vale was slightly smug. She shrugged inside her suit. “Got stuck here before. Thought it was Mika's fault at the time. Turns out the Dominion put this up to keep out the Freelancers. But not one of their own.” She tapped the ground by her foot where there were marks from the heavy suits that had been standing there before.

There was a long pause. 

Owen went into his own ramble. “The point where Geo’s suit last made contact is just to the northwest. You are not far from it. I’m not getting any enemy hits.”

Vale could feel the gears turning in the minds of her squad members. She suddenly felt inclined to say something to Brenner but this wasn’t the time. 

After a short set of instructions by Vale, Mika managed to transport each one of her squad members through the forcefield by holding them beneath her suit and flying them past the point of entry, covering them completely from the field as they passed through. 

Brenner was deathly quiet through the ordeal. He wasn’t generating energy to prepare his lightening. Vale swallowed a lump in her throat and turned her back on him, engaging her thrusters and launching into the air without a word. The others followed her towards the northeast location.

“WAIT UP!” Griff called suddenly. Vale heard a tremendous clunk as he landed on a cluster of rocks. “This is the place. Just give me five minutes.” He clambored into a barely there opened between the foliage. Vale rolled her eyes. Jets were beginning to get too hot so they each found a spot nearby and kept watch in different directions, Vale whispering exchanges with Owen as he kept watch over them. She genuinely expected an ambush any minute. Strangely, nothing was happening. 

“Okay. Let’s go. Thanks girlie.” Griff stomped out. Vale didn’t even ask. She didn’t care what was so valuable to Griff. 

Taking a deep breath she launched into flight once more, following Owens directions until finally..

“Here. This should be it.” His voice was tight.   
Vale felt like her voice would fail her, so she motioned with an arm to the others that it was time to land. Each suit hit the ground one after another with similar thwacks against the hard dirt. Vales lips were pursed tight as she looked around. 

They stood on the edge of a massive crater, blackened around the edges. 

Griff cursed again. 

Vale began to walk the perimeter, scanning the area with her visor. There had to be something. She knew Owen was in the background doing the same. The others took her lead and walked around the other edge of the circle. All but Brenner. He remained stationary, staring into the great hole. The three gathered at the far end and for a moment there was absolute quiet amongst them. 

Vale barely caught the movement as Brenner fell to his knees, the suit slammed hard into the dirt. She should have known. He was too smart. She should have told him her theory. She should have --

A piercing noise screamed across all their minds and every one of them jerked, the suits looking on the outside as though they had each been electrocuted.

“You are a stubborn one, Vale. That’s a problem.” 

Geos voice filled their helmets. 

Vale had frozen, her worst fears realized. She pressed her teeth together, becoming fiercely angry as she saw Brenners form hunched over and miserable. “Why? How could you? You son of a--”

The noise again. Vale screamed and fell forward on her knees. 

“None of that. I don’t have the time. I’m a little pissed you’re even still alive. I’ll have a chat with my pal Turner. I see he’s nearby. I’ll see you soon, Vale. Thanks for bringing my little brother, by the way. He’ll be useful.” 

The disconnect was audible. The silence was deafening. Vale lifted her helmet just in time to see the rush of enemy Javelins descend upon them. Dominion soldiers, sweeping up Brenner first. He didn’t fight. He could have.

She was slow to act. Beside her Mika was preparing mortars, but there was no time. Griff was smashing Dominion Javelins with his fists, trying to access his weapon. There was no time. They were ambushed and overwhelmed. 

“Retreat!” It was the last thing Vale could scream before the piercing noise hit her again, turning everything red. 

\---

 

Rising slowly into consciousness, Vale had the presence of mind to keep calm even though her mind was reeling. Her head ached horribly. Again. The vibration of the air was pulsing behind her eyes. Using her senses she reached out, trying to place everything. There was a low humming above her head. Lights were on but not blinding. She was lying on a hard surface, warm beneath her but cold around the edges of her body. No distinguishable scents. 

It was at that moment the hairs on her skin prickled. She was not alone. 

“You forgot to manage your breathing.” Geo pointed out casually. He was so close to her head she wanted to scream. He was obviously waiting for a reaction. When nothing happened, his patience snapped and he slammed a fist into the table by her ear. 

Impossible to ignore, Vale reflexively rolled off the other side and stood up, staring wide eyed around the room. Wall. Wall. Door. Locked. Of course it was. The only furniture was the chair where Geo was sitting and the table - bolted to the floor. Worthless. Her eyes continued to examine the room, seeking weapons and exits even though she knew at her core that Geo was too smart to give her an out.

Geo sat back in his chair, becoming casual and cool again. “There you are. Took you long enough.” He flashed a toothy grin. “I missed you.” 

He was baiting her. She knew it. Her muscles tensed, preparing to swing on him as images flashed in her mind. The signs that she missed. The evidence. 

“Why?” She asked through clenched teeth as she tried to decide if breaking his face would be to her advantage. 

Geo looked disappointed, but he shrugged it off. “Does it matter? I think your real question is… where are your friends?” He stood, pushing the chair back. It screeched backwards across the metal floor. 

They exchanged serious stares. 

Geos expression turned to a dark and triumphant smile. “Have you figured out which of your friends betrayed you?” 

There was a tapping sound at the door. 

Geo sighed dramatically. “What?!” He barked at the door, which promptly opened. 

A figure stood just beyond the door, hidden by the shadowy cast of the corridor. “The others are ready.” It was a mans’ voice, young and eerily familiar to Vale. A warning tingled near the base of her neck. 

“Fantastic timing.” Geo clapped his hands together loudly, the sound echoing the nearly empty, nearly all metal room. 

“Shouldn’t we restrain the prisoner--”

Geo waved his hand. “Absolutely not. Vale is too professional to go rogue. Aren’t you, honey?” He gestured for Vale to come hither. Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. 

A thousand different scenarios played out in her mind as she slowly made her way around the table and over to the door. Geo was just behind her, even going as far to put a hand on her shoulder. She shuddered involuntarily. He chuckled in her ear. 

The figure ahead of them led them to the left and down the hall. It was completely straight and impeccably clean when she compared it to the Fort. All metal. All gleaming. Impossible to discern one door from another just from a glance. 

“Here we are.” Geo spoke softly, purposely too close. Vale gritted her teeth. The door was pushed open. Vale hesitated, but Geo wasn’t having that. He pushed her with all his weight behind it and she fell forward, catching herself on her hands and knees with a grunt. 

Behind her she heard both the door slam and Geos voice as he said, “If it gets out of hand, recover that one. She’s the only one we need.” 

Two pairs of footsteps began to echo down the hall. Vale caught her breath and lifted her head. This room wasn’t as nice as the one they just left. It was cold and dark, with only one flickering electric cage light overhead. The circle of light on the floor in the middle of the room was empty but she could hear breathing. 

Breathing that increased and suddenly became a roar as she felt herself swept up by a meaty hand and slammed back into the wall behind her by the throat. Griff towered over her, snarling angrily - metal fangs flashing in the broken luminescence. “It was you!” He howled, preparing to snap her neck. 

“Fuck. you.” She breathed her last, spots violently obscuring her vision. 

“NO!” It was a high pitched yell from somewhere close, and suddenly Griff jerked and lost his grip, hand momentarily releasing Vale. She fell to the floor and rolled away, coughing and crawling and sputtering as she tried to recover. 

“You bitch!” Griff lurched forward, and it was Mika who appeared in the middle of the room, backing up and preparing to strike again all at once. She was scratched and bruised and tired looking. Vale realized the game. “Stop!” Her voice was scratchy. She strained, pushing herself to her feet. “Don’t you see what he’s doing? He wants us to kill each other!” 

Griffs’ bloodlust was not that easily sated. He exchange a glare between both women, obviously trying to decide who to break in half first. A deep cut running across the underside of his chin was bleeding. Breathing hard, he growled once again and turned away from them, slamming an angry fist into the door. It dented outwardly but did not budge. 

The air in the room was electrified. It was aggravating the senses. Vale thought very quickly. “Where is Brenner?” She asked Mika, keeping a wary eye on the hunched form of Griff. 

Mika glanced from Vale to Griff and back again. Then she gestured towards Griff. 

Vale looked at Griff and waited. He had his back turned but she knew that he was aware.   
“He didn’t even fight back.” Griff muttered bitterly over his shoulder. He was visibly struggling with his rage. At first Vale meant that Brenner didn’t fight Griff. Not many people would. However, she remembered that moment they were captured. The moment where Brenner fell to his knees and surrendered. She also remembered the dead expression, and the pain in his eyes. No. It wasn’t Brenner. As for that, Mika was too obvious a suspect. There was no way.

“I barely knocked him around before they swept in and carried him away.” Griff spat at the floor, leaving a smear of blood. 

Vales eyes narrowed on Griffs back. “You told them we were coming. You were the one!” She accused, muscles tensing all over her body.

Griff pivoted, dark eyes wide with renewed anger as they settled on her. “I might be an asshole but I’m not a fucking snitch.”

“What were you doing in that cave? Signaling these assholes?” The heat wasn’t quit rising in her yet. She wasn’t convinced of her own accusations. Deep down her instincts were screaming to leave her own people alone but something irrational and involuntary was poisoning her mind.

Nearby, Mika had pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She was coming down from the onslaught of adrenaline and too tired to involve herself in the exchange. Her skin was looking pale and clammy. 

“Oh fuck-off.” Griff snorted. “I was picking up chunks of velumian. Good money in ‘em.” He gestured, thumbing towards the door. “Jerks took everything.” 

Vales attention was already drawn away. She was looking around the room but all the edges and corners were bereft of light. Holding her hand out she walked forward until she felt the wall. It was solid, but the texture was strange and felt warm to the touch. Kneeling she ran her hand down the wall to the floor, trying to see if there were any gaps. Griff was rubbing his face with his hands, looking a little grey. 

Vale sucked in a breath and stood quickly. Voices outside the door. Yelling.

“This is what I’m talking about. Completely incompetent. You started the dose too high and now it’s wearing off.”

Geo was angry. Vale stepped back several steps away just as the door flung open. 

Griff started to turn around but wavered and fell forward. Vale lunged forward in a vain attempt to catch him but someone snatched her arm and began dragging her away. Griff hit the floor with an audible thud and most definitely a cracking sound. Mika whimpered meekly. Vale kicked out blindly and felt her legs get swept up as well. They were carrying her out bodily...numerous people. 

“Don’t hurt her too much.” Geo ordered. “Her genetics are worth more than all of you combined.” 

\---

Vale fell silent as they carried her away from her squad and back down the hall, turning several times before they set her down just inside another room. It was brightly lit and the air was cleaner. They were definitely closer to the surface here. Geo said something behind her - the tone was snarky. She had stopped listening to him. The door shut behind her with a click. The room had a familiar setup. Looked a lot like… 

“Tanner.” Vale muttered, recognizing the person sitting up in a bunk against the far wall. He was looking at her. Looking guilty. Her eyes danced around the room once more just to be sure. It was a near replica of Tanners office at the Fort. Her fists balled up against her hips. 

Tanner exchanged a long look before shrugging one shoulder. His glasses were missing and one eye was bruising and red along the outer corner. 

Exhaustion was seeping into her bones and the strength in her legs wavered. She caught herself leaning into the wall. Tanner rose and hurried forward, taking her arm around his neck. Vale started to yank away but he made a deep throated noise of rebuke and pulled her along, adding a hand to the small of her back to guide her over to the bunk bed. “Just sit.” Helped her become settled and then stepped back, visibly uncomfortable. He couldn’t meet her gaze anymore. 

Vale glared at him. Everything suddenly made sense. “This is your fault. How could you?” The accusation lit brilliantly within her eyes. She would have to apologize to Griff later and that really pissed her off. 

Turner turned away, finding solace in an empty corner of the room and leaning back. “It’s not what you think. “

“You have no idea what I think.” She snapped venomously. That probably wasn’t true but she was angry and lashing out at just the right person. Finally. Of all people. Vale drew in a breath and let it out slowly and with great emphasis. This was a huge disappointment. She needed him to know that.

“You think I’m working with the Dominion voluntarily.” 

“Just … shut up. I don’t want to hear it.” Vale put out a hand to stop him, eyebrows furrowed. She shook her head, dropping her hand to her lap. “Are you responsible for the explosions? The poisoning? The access breach?” 

Turner shook his head and his eyes flitted towards the ceiling for a moment before returning to her face. 

So they were listening. Vale sighed. “Do you know if Brenner is alright?”

“Brenner should be fine. His little science experiments are useful. As long as he cooperates…” Turner allowed the words to go unsaid. 

“Is that what you’re doing? Cooperating?” Growing wearily angry, Vale gritted her teeth. 

Turner stayed silent. 

“You know what they’re going to do to me.” She accused. 

He glanced away, jaw set harshly. 

“Is that what the poison was for? Were you running tests on me while I was unconscious? An excuse to poke at me?” 

“I already knew.” Turner snapped, growing defensive. “It’s my job. I was assigned to you specifically to protect the information.” Frustrated, Turner rubbed a hand over his face nd winced as he brushed over the wounded eye. He dropped his voice, adding quietly. “I had to make a choice. Geo wanted you gone. I gave him a reason to let you live.” 

“It’s just a stupid legend.”  
“Geo doesn’t think so. It’s keeping you alive.”

Vale was frowning, deep in thought. “Why? Letting him kill me would have solved a lot of problems.”   
Turner gave another half shrug. It took several moments before he answered. “I’m a medic. It’s my mission to save lives.” It was a weak cover, but Vale didn’t care. She had long given up on the truth of things. 

 

A sudden blasting noise startled Vale and shook the floor beneath them. Instinctively she curled up into herself on the cot and covered her head with her arms and waited. Nothing further happened. 

“That’s a normal occurrence here. They’re just performing tests. This fortification is built overtop a huge series of caves and they’re usually expanding on that.” Turner said it like it was no big deal. It was a huge deal.

Vale found it difficult to relax. Her nervous system was screaming. 

Straightening and dropping her hands to her lap, she fought the urge to slump over in defeat. The dominion was already inside the walls of Fort Tarsis; Turner and Geo were proof of that. 

\--- The Legend of the Song; Notes by Med Lead Turner Denari ---

I honestly can’t remember the first time I heard the story. It’s one of those things you grow up with. Part of our culture. Just like the stories about the Legion of Dawn and the emergence of the Freelancers. It was probably the most unbelievable out of all the tales. Something fabricated to entertain small children and distract them from the everyday dangers that lurk beyond the walls. 

The details are blurred after so many generations, changing with each telling and each new storyteller. The theory was that a specific bloodline was not entirely immune to the rhythm of the Anthem the way the more recent generations were. That it would cause spectacular mutations in these specific individuals. The last reported of the lineage were members of the Legion of Dawn. 

Vance assigned me with the highest level clearance due to the pilots genealogical history and I accepted. I had no idea what I was walking in to.


End file.
